Prerequisites for Building Pipe and Tube Routes

Before you create a route subassembly, ensure that you have the part documents available and review the Routing system options.

Ensure that you have the following items:
  • Part documents that you need for the pipe or tube assembly. Store these part documents in the Routing Library.
    • Pipe or tube parts
    • Fittings (elbows, flanges, reducers, and other fittings)
    • Routing hardware (such as clips and brackets). (Optional) If you want to enable automatic routing of flexible tubes through routing hardware, see Cable Clips for information on how to create these parts.
  • A main assembly with the components to be connected (such as tanks, and pumps). Add any other components that are needed to specify the path of the pipe or tube, such as supporting brackets and obstacles that must be avoided. Position the fixed components using mates, dimensions, or relations on a layout sketch, and save the assembly. (You can also create a route subassembly in an empty main assembly.)
If you are inserting the starting fitting as a component of the route subassembly or the main assembly, select or clear the following Routing Option:
  • Automatically route on drop of flanges/connectors. When selected, this option creates a new route subassembly and starts a route when you drop a routing component (such as a flange or tube fitting) into an assembly. The flange or fitting becomes a component of the new route subassembly. Clear to insert the flange or fitting as a component of the main assembly.